Include Hamilton on Your Itinerary

Hamilton is a Scottish town situated in South Lanarkshire close to the banks of the River Clyde. Over 49 000 people reside here, many of whom work for either the local government or one of the many service industries.

Originally the town of Hamilton was known as Cadzow, which means “beautiful castle”. Later the name was changed as a way of honoring Lord James Hamilton and the Hamilton family who had contributed so much to the town. The Hamilton family constructed many of the historical buildings that you can view today.

One example of these fine buildings is the Mausoleum in Strathclyde Park, a building famous for producing the longest echo in Scotland and in the whole of Europe, lasting for fifteen seconds. Strathclyde Country Park is a popular venue for local residents and visitors who are interested in water and outdoor activities. There is the Edwardian Town Hall that encompasses the concert hall and the town library.

The 15th century Hamilton Palace was situated on the northeast side of the town and was considered one of the most magnificent buildings in the whole of Scotland. The Palace housed the Hamilton family for decades and was considered one of the largest non-Royal Palaces in its time. Before the Hamilton family took up residence in the Hamilton Palace their main residence had been the Cadzow Castle. Sadly today the only remains of this magnificent castle can be found in the Hamilton Mausoleum, as not even remains of the building can be found. Instead, in its place, you will only find the M74 highway.

Near the grounds that used to house the palace you will find one of the oldest buildings here in Hamilton, now called the Low Parks Museum. In the 16th century the building holding the museum was the coaching inn that was used regularly by people passing through on their way to Edinburgh and Glasgow on the stagecoach. The Museum holds beautiful exhibits that show you the history of the Hamilton Palace and show artifacts from the Cameronian Scottish Rifles regiment. The Hamilton Old Parish Church is another historical building that was built by William Adam in 1734.

Related Post

Scotland has three official languages, namely: English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots. The majority of Scotland's people are bilingual and can speak Scottish Standard English. Scottish Gaelic is spoken mostly in the Western Isles. It is believed that about 30% of Scotland's population can converse in Scots and state support for the language is increasing.

Braemar Castle in Aberdeenshire has the most famous and illustrious neighbors anyone in Scotland could want. The castle and Invercauld estate is next to Balmoral, the private residence of the British Royal Family. Owned by the Farquharson family, the Invercauld estate is run very much the way Balmoral is and the inspiration has given visitors a lovely property to see, experience and even ...